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Written by Mange
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Monday, 08 February 2010 00:44 |
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Few months ago a bunch of my friends and I were waiting for a Kenyan friend whom we were going to have dinner with, klock kept ticking and she wouldn't turn up at. A Swedish friend( who had been living in Tanzania for ages, and who is a fluent Swahili speaker)blotted out "Anna kishakuwa Mswahili. I as a Tanzanian, was not sure whether to laugh or be offended.. why did she not say "Anna kishakuwa Mkenya? why a Swahili? Is it that we are so bad or is it the expressions of "Uswahili" that we teach others turn to let us down? Uswahili ni nini?
When you reffer to someone else as a "mswahili", is it that you are putting a line between her class and yours? and if so, does it mean to say just because you are a little more educated, a little more exposed, then those who are below you need such a stamp as "Waswahili? Why?
Uswahili, Mswahili, Uswahilini ... Most of us have used those words.. You who call you fellow Tanzanian a "Mswahili regardless of his/her tribe, what does that make you, putting in mind that you are a Swahili speaker too . And what are the Zaramos suppose to feel about this since Swahili is their first and foremost a mother toungue? Aren't we putting them down?
I think this "Swahili" expression owe to be banned.. what do you think?
Mika
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